NFL Season Opener Revists The “Fail Mary”

Many sports fans complain about refs.  You may have even uttered the phrase, "The ref cost us the game!"  But did they really?  Sure, a call or two can go one way or the other during the course of a game.  But not until the "Fail Mary" did referees cost a team a win.

You can make a case for the Seahawks winning.  Wide reciever Golden Tate DID come out of the pile with the ball.  But safety M.D. Jennings of the Packers also clearly had possesion of the ball on his way down.  It looked like an interception.  Especially to Packer fans.  But the replacement refs ruled it a touchdown, and Seattle won.

The good thing about the controversy that followed, was it ended the referee's strike.  Replacement refs had finally blown a huge call on a nationally televised game.  The full times refs were back the next week.  Thursday night's NFL season opener features the Packers returning to Seattle.  Both teams are among the favorites in the NFC.  Here's to putting the Fail Mary in the rearview mirror!